Device for testing gummed tape



y 29, 1952 P. w. HERRLINGER DEVICE FOR TESTING GU MMED TA'IPE 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Jan. 27. 1950 N VEN TOR. 12104 /K HER/w. "vase, BY

ATTORNEYS.

July 1952v w. HERRLINGER 2,604,783

DEVICE FOR TESTING 'GUMMED TAPE Filed Jan. 27, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET z I N V EN TOR. 50; If HE/F fL MIGEK,

ATTORNEY Patented July 29, 1952 DEVICE FOR TESTING GUMME-D TAPE Paul W. Herrlinger, Troy, Ohio, assignor to The Gumme'd Products Company; Troy, Ohio; a

corporation of Ohio Application'January 27, 1950, Serial;No;-140 ,809

12 Claims. 1

My invention has to do withv a machine for testing. the wet-adhesive strength of gummed.

tape; More particularly, my invention relatesto testing and measuring the wet adhesivetensile strength of gummed tape adhered to a preselected sealing. surface.

Currently the recognized test for determining adhesive valueof gummed-tape istomeasure the sheer strength or resistance to slide of the moistened gum and thus arrive at a value for wet tack; Ihave found that although. this method is: valuable particularly for control purposes it does. not give a complete picture regarding the overallqualityof a given gummed tape. In contrast to.the-currently recognized method, my machine: measures the Wet tensile strength of the.

gum-. and-makes possible: the collection of values over a wider range of conditions thus enabling the-userv to makea much more complete analysis of. the wet characteristics of a given adhesive.

Inaddition to the fact that my machine will give anaccurate measure of the wet tensile strength-of the gum under consideration, it will become evident as this description proceeds that my machine is an extremely versatile unit capable ofproducing a wide variety of conditions which heretofore ithas not been possible-to produce.

It a. principal. object of my invention to pro vide a machine: for accurately testing the wet adhesive strength of gummed tape under varying. condiitonsof use over a widerange.

It is.- an objectof myinvention to provide-means formeasuring the wet tensile strength of the tape gumming. under" consideration under. con:- trolled conditions simulating actual operating conditions-whereby the characteristics of the tape maybe-studied.

It is1afurther object of my invention to pro-- videata-pe testing machine by" means of which the-tape will beapplied to-a pre-selected sealing surface. at constant speed and under constant pressure: and wherein thetimeinterval between the timethe tape is adhered. to-the'sealing surface. and the time at whichthe tape. is" stripped from-thesea-ling. surface may be accurately controlled.

A further object of my'invention. is the provisionof aatesting device including a tape-dispenser-for depositing a lengthof tape-to be tested 01 1,18, sealing surface-and incorporating means for controlling the'tirne interval between the dispensing'of the tape and its' application to the sealing surface. Ancillary to this objective, I providerpower driven means .to-- operate the tape dispenser at a fi'xed speedthereby eliminating a variable inherent in hand operated dispensers:

Yet another object is the provision. ofia testing device the operation of which-isfree'of'possible human variation whereby tests may berepeated with the assurance that each test will be under identical conditions. In this manner standardizing information can be accurately ob! tained. j

These and other objects of my invention-which willbe set forth hereinafter or will be apparent,

to one skilled in the art upon reading these s'pelc ifications, I'accomplishby that procedure and that construction and arrangementof partsfoi', which I shalllnow describe.aniexemplary'embodie ment. Referencefis made to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1' is a side elevational view-of my test: ing. device, parts of the dispenser heingrem'oved to'show. its, mode of operation. Figure 2is a partial. plan view of the. testing device illustrated in Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are partialelevational viewsof my testing device in. various. operating positions. Figure 5 is a sectional. view taken along use, 5- 5 of Figure 4 and illustrates the roller" car riage mechanism. .7 Figure 6 is asectional'view. taken .alongthe line li -6' of Figurel and. illustrates one typeof clutch mechanism. which may be employed? in eg vice. a

In Figure I, I'have shown a base-l uponwhich is mounted the table 2 and the tape dispenser- 3', the table being so: arranged that, it will receive a length of: tape directly from the dispenser; Thetable 2" is provided withlhold'er's 4', 5 and 6 which serve to position a standard. piece of cor.- rugated boxboard or other preselected sealing surface T to which a test strip of tape 8."(indicated in broken lines) W111 be. applied. Guide bars 9 and I0 may be provided to directthe lengthof tape 8 onto the testing surface 1. The tape. dispenser .3 is of' standard construe, tion' andcomprises' a pair of supporting. rollers" 11 and I2 upon which the'tape' roll l.3.r'ests'.' The tape passes" over roller: 14 and thenvlietween wheels l5 and. Hi, the wheel l6 being driven through the gears l1, I8 and I 9i either by the" han'dlever'2florthe motor 2'l.- The dispenser is provided with a cutting bar 2-2 -and knife 23; as well as conventionalbrush 24 and watertank 25 for moisteningthe-tape. A-hinged-hold-down platelfi assures-positivecontact-0f the tape with the-brush: :il

The hand lever 20 oftheadispen'serfis'pinneii 3 to the shaft 21 which carries the gear l9. The gear l9, however, is freely movable on the shaft 21 and is driven by the pawl 28 and ratchet wheel 29, the latter being pinned at 20a, to the lever 20. Thus, when the lever 20 is moved from left to right, the ratchet wheel 29 will be engaged by pawl 28 .thereby driving gear I9 and hence causing wheel It to dispense a length of tape. At the end of its left to right movement the lever 20 will activate means (not shown) to cause the knife 23 to sever the tape, whereupon on release of the lever 20, the lever will return to starting position under the influence of spring 39. During the return movement of lever 20 the pawl 28 will ride over the teeth of ratchet wheel 29 and hence will not affect the gear I9. Thus the di s pensing wheel l6 will not be moved during return movement of the lever 20.

Alternatively, the shaft 21 may be driven by the motor 2| acting through the sprockets 3| and 32, the chain 33 and clutch 34. Since the lever 'is pinned to the shaft 21, the lever will be moved in the same manner as if it were hand operated, this being necessary because th lever carries an abutment 35 for contact with button 36 of starting switch 31. The electrical circuit for, the'motor 2| is arranged so that the power will be cut oil? as the lever 20 arrives at its forward position.

The starting switch 31, which is activated by the lever 20 at the end of its forward motion, starts the timer 38 which controls the time interval between the dispensing of the tape and applicationthereof to the sealing surface I. This time interval corresponds to the time consumed by the tape user in getting a length of tape from the dispenser to the package being sealed. Since this time interval varies with the individual user and the taping operations, and since the all over performance of gummed tape is affected by the length of time between moistening and application, the timer 38 provides a means whereby this variable may be accuratelystudied. At the conclusion of a predetermined interval, the timer 38 activates gearhead motor 39, causing tape roller 40 to travel to the left over the length of tape 8. The right to left motion of the roller presses the tape onto the sealing surface. The tape roller 4||.is driven forward by motor 39 acting through the sprockets 4| and 42, chain 43, with dog 44 contacting the depending abutment 45 of the rollor carriage 46.

V In Figure 5 I have shown in detail the construction of the carriage 46. It comprises a pair of side members 41 and 48 between which the roller 40 is rotatably mounted, the lower side of the roll 4|] resting on the table 2. The bottom edges of the side members 41 and 48 extend below the table 2 where they are joined by the shafts 49'and 50 carrying rollers 5| and 52 which run along the downturned flanges 53 and 54 of the table 2. The shafts 49- and 59 extend through the. elongated openings 55 and 56 in the side members and are'adjusftable vertically by means of blocks 51. and 58, threaded rods 59 andfio and adjustment heads GI and 62. Springs may be located in the heads 6| and 62 to provide a light tension on rollers 5| and 52 for guiding purposes. Pairs of horizontal rollers 64 and 65 are also provided to maintain proper alignment of the tape roller relative to the sides of table 2.

'When the motor 39 is started by the action of timer 38, the carria e 46 is moved to the left under the influence of dog 44 carried on chain 43 thereby'movingthe roller 40 and pressing the 4 tape onto the sealing surface. The speed of the roller is controlled by the motor 39 and is preferably constant. As the tape roller 40 reaches the position illustrated in Figure 3 the leading end of the carriage contacts button 64 of switch 65, which starts timer 66, as well as cutting off power to motor 39. The timer 66 serves to control the time interval between application of the tape and return movement of the roller 49. During this time interval the free end of the length of tape 8, which has been cut at point A by the knife 23. is quickly drawn from the dispenser and fastened with a small length of adhesive tape 61 or the like to the roller 40, substantially as shown at D in Figure 3. The manner in which the tape is fastened to the roller does not, however, constitute a limitation on my invention and any suitable means could be employed, as for example clamping means countersunk in the rolling surface of the roller.

In order to prevent strain upon the driving mechanism at the instant carriage 46-contacts switch 55, I provide the driven sprocket 4| with a clutch which will permit slippage of the parts when normal movement of the sprocket is inhibited. As seen in Figure 6, the sprocket 4| is carried on a shaft 68 supported by the bearing 69. The sprocket 4| is loosely fitted on the shaft 68 but is held from axial movement on one side by the collar Hi and on the other by a second collar H having a flange 12. Both of the collars are fixed to the shaft 68. An axially slidable clutch plate 13 having a bearing face 14 of leather or other suitable material is keyed to the shaft 68 between the collar H and the sprocket 4|, with the bearing face 14 of the clutch plate being urged into contact with the sprocket 4| by the compression spring '55 biased between clutch plate 13 and collar 1|. This arrangement, as will be evident, permits the clutch plate to slip when movement of the chain is inhibited thereby preventing possible damage to the moving parts of the device.

At the conclusion of the time interval determined by timer 56, the timer will cause the motor 39 to be reversed and the chain-driven in the reverse direction thereby causing dog 44 to be quickly returned to its starting position. A companion dog 16 carried by the chain will contact limit switch 11 as the dogs reach the starting position, bringing the powered portion of the machine to rest. I

The instant dog 44 is moved out of contact with bracket 45, the roller 40 is released from the powered portion of the machine and comes under the influence of the weight load 18 (Fig. 1) the load being transmitted to the roller 40 by cord 19 passing over pulley wheels 8|] and 8|. The weight load 18 is arranged so as to be moved upwardly as the roller 40 is moved forward on the table, and upon release of the roller and carriage, the assembly becomes a free moving body, the weight load acting under the influence of gravity to move the roller backward over the table. In this way the only deterrent to the backward motion of the roller is the strength of the wet gumming on the tape in contact with the sealing surface. If the weight load is sufliciently great, it will overcome the adhesive bond and strip a portion at least of the tape from the sealing surface. The extent of the backward motion of the roller and hence the amount of tape stripped from the sealing surface is measured by the pointer 82 carried by the carriage and the calibrated scale 33 fixed to the frame I.

The mode of operation of my machine involved amazes in-making. a-thorough study-of: thestrengthzchar- :acteristics; of tapegumming. shouldlibemeadily understood x from the "foregoing description, :and :1 it :should :be 'apparent "also that modifications may Lbermade=without departing:fromtthexspiritrnfxmy :invention and I do.:not intend tobe'limite'd. in'the :application of my invention other than :as set forth :in the. claims which. follow. For example, while I have employed timing means :for controlling the time; intervalsbetween the-dispensing iofithe: tape; and itsrapplicationztoithe sealingsur- SfacaandEthe interval between;the-applioationzand attempted :removal i-from :the sealing surface, it woulditalsorbe po'ssibletoprovide means to measure ithatimerre uiredtjfor thabackwardroriwithdrawal .motionpf :theroller ;to areachaits limits andjahence add an additional zva'riable which mayrbe'zstudied. .aI-Iaving thus :described my invention, what f :desireatosecureby BettersEPatent is 1. A device for testingthewet tensile strength a of :tapei'guimningz comprising a support for a sealing surface, a roller mounted for reciprocal movement on said'supportgdriving means for moving ,saidlrollerforward oversaidsupport, means contacted by said roller at the end of its forward movement. forreleasing said rollerfromsaid driving means, and meansfor storing potential energy connected to said roller and operable upon-release ,ofsaid roller .tomove said roller backward over said support.

I22. In a :device for testing =the wet tens'ile :streng'thof tape gumming, a support fora'sealing surface, a roller mounted for reciprocal movement onsaid support, driving means for moving 'said roller forward over said support, means contacted by said roller at the end of its forwardi'm'ovement to releasesaid roller .fromsaid driving means, and means "for" storing, potential energy connected to 'said roller and operable upon release of said driving means to move said roller backwards over said support, and tape dispensing means positioned to dispense a length of tape on said support in the path of said roller.

3. In a device for testing the wet tensile strength of tape gumming, a support for a sealing surface, a roller mounted for reciprocal movement on said support, driving means for moving said roller forward over said support to contact a length of tape to the sealing surface, a timer, means contacted by said roller at the end of its forward movement to start said timer, said timer serving at the expiration of a predetermined time interval to release said roller from said driving means, said roller becoming a free moving body, and means for storing potential energy connected to said roller tending when said roller is released. to movesaid roller backward over said support.

4. In a device for testing the wet tensile strength of type gumming, a support for a sealing surface, a roller mounted for reciprocal movement on said support, driving means for moving said roller forward over said support to contact a length of tape to the sealing surface, a timer, means contacted by said roller at the end of its forward movement to start said timer, said timer serving to release said roller from said driving means at the expiration of a predetermined time interval, means for storing potential energy connected to said roller and tending when said roller is released to move said roller backward over said support, means for connecting a free end of the tape to said roller at the end of its forward movement so as to cause said tape to be carried by said roller during backward movement thereof, said tape being stripped from the sealing 5.:Ina .device for-testing the wet tensile strength: of" tape..gumming,' a support for a sealing surfaca'tape applying means movably mounted: onsaid: support, means for moving said tape applying. means to contact-a length of'itape with the: sealing" surface; and. means formoving ,said

tape applying means'iso' as to strip the tape from the sealingzsurfacaand means fortmeasuringithe distance the tape is stripped. 'from the sealing surface.

'6. ,In :a device for testing the :tensile: strength of taperzgummingsasupport for easealingsurface,

arollerrmonnted for reciprocal: movement-onsaid support, driving 'means for .moving :said roller over the sealingsurfa'ce, zdispensing means :for

' idepositingra .lengthof .tape. in the :path of said from ,said :drivingmeans, "means "for '-storingz'potentialenergy connected to :said LIOHEII' to move it in the opposite direction, said last mentioned means tending 'to cause said tape "to "be stripped from the sealingssurfacegand meansformeasuring the distance the tape is stripped from the sealing surface.

7.-:In a device for testing the 'wet tensile strength of tape. gumming; a support fora sealillgzSllIfECBJfli roller mountedfor reciprocal movement "on said 1 support, driving means for moving said roller over thexsealing surface, tape dispensing :means "for dispensing a length of tape in the path of said roller, means operable by said tape dispensing means to :startssaid driving means and cause said roller to contact the length of tape with the sealing surface, means engageable by said roller at end of its driven movement to release said roller from said driving means, means for storing potential energy connected to said roller to move it in the opposite direction, said last mentioned means tending to cause said tape to be stripped from the sealing surface, means for measuring the dis tance the tape is stripped from the sealing surface, and timing means for creating a controlled time interval between the contacting of the tape with the sealing surface and the release of the driving means.

8. In a device for testing the wet tensile strength of tape gumming, a support for a sealing surface, a roller mounted for reciprocal movement on said support, driving means for moving said roller over the sealing surface, tape dispensing means for dispensing a length of tape in the path of said roller, means operable by said tape dispensing means to start said driving means and cause said roller to contact the length of tape with the sealing surface, means engageable by said roller at end of its driven movement to release said roller from said driving means, means for storing potential energy connected to said roller to move it in the opposite direction, said last mentioned means tending to cause said tape to be stripped from the sealing surface, means for measuring the distance the tape is stripped from the sealing surface, timing means for creating a controlled time interval between the contacting of the tape with the sealing surface and the release of the driving means, and additional timing means for creating a controlled time interval between the dispensing of the tape and movement of the roller to contact the tape with the sealing surface.

9. A tape testing device for the purpose described comprising a frame, a table supported on said frame, a roller mounted for reciprocal movement on said table, driving means for moving said roller in one direction to apply a length of tape to a sealing surface, means formoving said roller in the opposite direction to strip the tape from the sealing surface, and means for measuring the amount of tape stripped from the sealing surface.

10. A tape testing device for the purposes described comprising a frame, a tablesupported on said frame, a roller mounted for reciprocal movement on said table, driving means for moving said roller in one direction to apply a length of tape to a sealing surface, means for'moving said roller in the opposite direction to strip the tape from the'sealing surface, timing means to control the time interval between application of the tape. and movement of the roller in the opposite direction, and means for measuring the amount of tape'stripped from the sealing surface.

11. A tape testing device for the purposes described comprising a frame, a table supported on said frame, a roller mounted for reciprocal movement on said table, driving means for moving said roller in one direction to apply a length of tape to a sealing surface, means for moving said roller in the opposite direction to strip the tape from the sealing surface, said last mentioned means comprising a weight load connected to said roller, and timing means to control the time interval between'application of the tape and movement of the roller under the influence of said weight load.

12. In a device for testing the wet tensile strength of tape gumming, a support for a sealing surface, tape applying means mounted for forward movement on said support and return, said means being adapted to secure a length of gummed tape to the sealing surface when moved forward on said support, and for attachment to the end of the tape to strip the tape from the sealing surface when returned over said support, driving means for moving said tape applying means forward on said support at a predeterminedrate of speed, and means for disengaging said driving means :at the end of said forward movement, means for returning said tape applying means over said support under the influence of a predetermined force, said last mentioned mean becoming operative on release of said driving means, and timing means activated by the movement of said tape applying means for determining the length of time the tape is in contact with the sealing surface.

' PAUL W. HERRLINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

